


happy birthday to you

by pinkhairedfairy



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Ficlet, M/M, Slice of Life, birthday fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-09
Updated: 2019-06-09
Packaged: 2020-04-23 08:58:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19147774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkhairedfairy/pseuds/pinkhairedfairy
Summary: Sonny does a thing each year. Never a big thing, Rafael isn't a fan of really big things, doesn't like that kind of attention.  But a medium sized thing that makes the older man flush a little.





	happy birthday to you

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rafaelbaseball](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rafaelbaseball/gifts).



He found out by accident. Liv had brought in the coffee mug filled with candy that sat on the edge of her desk and Barba had walked out of her office with it later, a slight flush creeping up the back of his neck. He put two and two together, nearly tripping over his feet to meet the older man at the exit. "Is that a cartoon penguin?"

Rafael startled before giving a grave nod "it's a terribly long story neither of us have time for, Sonny" he pressed forward, stopping with a lurch when Sonny called back with a proud grin.

"Happy birthday, Raf!"

And so it became a thing. Not a big thing, Rafael didn't like the attention of a big thing, though he relished on the attention in the courtroom. Something Sonny couldn't quite wrap his mind around no matter how many times Rafael demanded no parties.

So Sonny threw a party, with a handful of lawyer "friends" from Rafael's phone who looked at him like he was from another planet when his mouth opened. He invited Amanda and Fin, Liv just smirked at Sonny when he asked her to come like she knew something he didn't. But she brought a small cake.

Barba wore his work clothes and plastered his for the press smile on his very tired face, shooting daggers at the taller man across the room whenever their eyes met.

So Sonny tried a small thing the next year. A simple text, in the middle of the day acknowledging the smaller man's existence and his appreciation for said existence. 

Rafael didn't talk to him for two days, not really. It was his "we're in public people are around" conversations, cool with a slight bite of superiority.

Two dates, three sleepovers and one awkward breakfast later, Sonny tried a medium thing. Not too big, he taped balloons to the wall, and a banner across the doorway. He just purposely forgot to call the lawyers and their well manicured wives who ate really very little.

He made dinner, poured wine, and was in the middle of battling an overzealous mixer he had borrowed from his sister when the knock came to his door. Cake batter covered his chest, hair and the walls. "You're early!" He declared throwing the door open to a very confused Rafael who started to laugh.

It was a slow building laugh from deep in his belly, finding it's way to crinkling his eyes as Rafael shook with laughter, head thrown back and arms holding the belly he was so self conscious about. 

Sonny just blinked as he watched the other man catch his breath and beam. "Happy birthday, Raf."

The lawyer was suddenly in his space, taking a tentative lick of batter on the younger man's cheek. "Should have asked Liv where she buys her cakes."


End file.
